Editing Diffusion of innovations (section)

== Criticism ==

Even though there have been more than four thousand articles across many disciplines published on Diffusion of Innovations, with a vast majority written after Rogers created a systematic theory, there have been few widely adopted changes to the theory.<ref name="Greenhalgh 2005 417–430"/> Although each study applies the theory in slightly different ways, critics say this lack of cohesion has left the theory stagnant and difficult to apply with consistency to new problems.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Meyers|first1=P|last2=Sivakumar|first2=K|last3=Nakata|first3=C|title=Implementation of Industrial Process Innovations: Factors, Effects, and Marketing Implications|journal=The Journal of Product Innovation Management|date=1999|volume=16|issue=3|pages=295–311|doi=10.1111/1540-5885.1630295}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Katz|first1=E|last2=Levin|first2=M|last3=Hamilton|first3=H|title=Traditions of Research on the Diffusion of Innovation|journal=American Sociological Review|date=1963|volume=28|issue=2|pages=237–252|doi=10.2307/2090611|jstor=2090611}}</ref>

Diffusion is difficult to quantify because humans and human networks are complex. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to measure what exactly causes adoption of an innovation.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Damanpour|first1=F|title=Organizational Complexity and Innovation: Developing and Testing Multiple Contingency Models|journal=Management Science|date=1996|volume=42|issue=5|pages=693–716|doi=10.1287/mnsc.42.5.693}}</ref> This variety of variables has also led to inconsistent results in research, reducing heuristic value.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite journal|last1=Downs|first1=GW|last2=Mohr|first2=LB|title=Conceptual Issues in the Study of Innovation|journal=Administrative Science Quarterly|date=1976|volume=21|issue=4|pages=700–714|doi=10.2307/2391725|jstor=2391725|url=http://eduq.info/xmlui/handle/11515/16883|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Compared to other modes of [[diffusion]] in natural sciences, diffusion models of innovation also lack a clear understanding of the spatial structure on which innovation is propagated.<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Bunde | first1 = Armin | last2 = Caro | first2 = Jürgen | last3 = Chmelik| first3 = Christian | last4 = Kärger | first4 = Jörg | last5 = Vogl | first5 = Gero | title = Diffusive Spreading in Nature, Technology and Society | publisher = Springer | location = Cham | year = 2023 | edition = 2nd | isbn = 9783031059469 |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-05946-9 }}</ref> Product management can shape the topology of the diffusion space in numerous different ways by the means of segmentation, product portfolios, and lifecycle management.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Spreading Innovations: Models, Designs and Research Directions |last1=Fritzsche |first1=Albrecht |title=Diffusive Spreading in Nature, Technology and Society; |year=2018 |pages=277–294 |publisher=Springer |location=Cham |isbn=9783319677989|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-67798-9_14|url=https://www.wi1.rw.fau.de/files/2017/12/978-3-319-67798-9_14.pdf}}</ref>

Rogers placed the contributions and criticisms of diffusion research into four categories: [[pro-innovation bias]], individual-blame bias, recall problem, and issues of equality. The pro-innovation bias, in particular, implies that all innovation is positive and that all innovations should be adopted.<ref name="Rogers5" /> Cultural traditions and beliefs can be consumed by another culture's through diffusion, which can impose significant costs on a group of people.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> The one-way information flow, from sender to receiver, is another weakness of this theory. The message sender has a goal to persuade the receiver, and there is little to no reverse flow. The person implementing the change controls the direction and outcome of the campaign. In some cases, this is the best approach, but other cases require a more participatory approach.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1509/jm.10.0406 |title=How Doppelgänger Brand Images Influence the Market Creation Process: Longitudinal Insights from the Rise of Botox Cosmetic |year=2012 |last1=Giesler |first1=Markus |journal=Journal of Marketing |volume=76 |issue=6 |pages=55–68|s2cid=167319134 }}</ref> In complex environments where the adopter is receiving information from many sources and is returning feedback to the sender, a one-way model is insufficient and multiple communication flows need to be examined.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Robertson|first1=M|last2=Swan|first2=Jacky|last3=Newell|first3=Sue|title=The Role of Networks in the Diffusion of Technological Innovation|journal=Journal of Management Studies|date=1996|volume=33|issue=3|pages=333–359|doi=10.1111/j.1467-6486.1996.tb00805.x}}</ref>